Reproducibility of left ventricular mass by echocardiogram in the ELSA-Brasil.

Background: Echocardiography, though non-invasive and having relatively low-cost, presents issues of variability which can limit its use in epidemiological studies.

Objective: To evaluate left ventricular mass reproducibility when assessed at acquisition (online) compared to when assessed at a reading center after electronic transmission (offline) and also when assessed by different readers at the reading center.

Methods: Echocardiographers from the 6 ELSA-Brasil study investigation centers measured the left ventricular mass online during the acquisition from 124 studies before transmitting to the reading center, where studies were read according to the study protocol.

Relationship between left atrial volume and diastolic dysfunction in 500 Brazilian patients.

Background: Left atrial volume index (LAVI) increase has been associated to left ventricle (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD), a marker of cardiovascular events (atrial fibrillation, stroke, heart failure, death).

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between LAVI and diferente grades od DD in Brazilian patients submitted to echocardiogram, studying LAVI increase determinants in this sample.

Methods: We have selected 500 outpatients submitted to echocardiography, after excluding arrhythmia, valvar or congenital cardiopathy, permanent pacemaker or inadequate ecocardiographic window.